Jet propulsion of water-borne vessels



May 1?.7, 1941. J. w, GOODYEAR 2,243,800

JET PROPULSION 0F WATER-HORNE VESSELS Filed May 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor May'27, 1941. .1. w. GOODYEAR JET PROPULSION OF WATER-BORNE VESSELS FiledMay 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g Inventor by M A itomeys y 1941. J. w. GOODYEAR ,243,800

JET PROPULSION OF WATER-BORNE VESSELS Filed May 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Attorneys Patented May 27, 1941 JET PROPUIJSION O'F' WATER-HORNE VESSELS James Wallis Goodyear, Birkenhead, England Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,556

In Great Britain June 1, 1938 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to water-borne vessels which are provided with'a water impeller, pump or the like for propelling the vessel by reaction.

According to the present invention the impeller or the like discharges through an outlet duct or passage and the cross-sectional area of the outlet opening at the end of said passage is variable in order to provide for variation in the speed of the delivery water as it leaves the vessel. This may be achieved by making a portion of the wall or bounding surface of the passage movable, for example, it may be pivoted and thus the rate of change of cross-sectional area of the outlet passage may be varied.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with vessels which are to be used for towing. When actually toward such vessels move at a relatively low speed and require a high propulsive effort and to achieve this the outlet opening would be enlarged to reduce the speed of the delivery water and to increase the propulsive efiort. When such vessels are travelling alone, say from one towing job to another, they only require a fairly low propulsive effort but it is desirable that they should travel at high speeds and to achieve this the outlet opening would be reduced in cross-sectional area so as to increase the speed and reduce the propulsive efiort.

In a form of construction in which a portion of the wall of the outlet opening is movable, this wall portion may consist of a vane pivoted at its inward end and extending towards the outlet opening of the passage and preferably it is bellmouthed outwardly at its outer end after the manner of a section of a trumpet, whereby to achieve a relatively large reduction of velocity and increase of pressure head at the very end of the passage. If desired, the said vane may be constructed of aerofoil cross section and the outer end thereof may consist of a pivoted aerofoil section which may be allowed automatically to take up an appropriate position according to the angular position of the vane. Suitable means may be provided, of course, for adjusting the position 01 the vane from within the vessel.

In a preferred arrangement, however, there are two vanes arranged in a series the more inward of which serves for governing the direction of movement of the vessel either ahead or astem and the outermost of which is arranged forcontrolling the cross-sectional area of the flnalwater outlet and which may also serve as a fairing.

In a particular form of construction embodying two vanes, the outlet opening is outwardly or seawardly of divergent form in cross-section taken in a vertical longitudinal plane. The direction control vane is arranged near the inner end of the outlet opening and is pivoted about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the vessel approximately at the mid-length of the outlet opening, so that in each terminal position it constitutes a part of the effective discharge passage for the delivery water. The surface of the vane is preferably spaced outwardly or seawardly from its pivotal axis and may be curved so that in each terminal position it is approximately parallel with the opposite end wall of the outlet opening with one end thereof in contact with the inner end of the other wall of the outlet opening. The outer vane is of greater longitudinal length than the inner vane and is pivoted about an axis which is approximately coincident with the position of the seaward end of the inner vane when in a terminal position.

The pivotal axis of the said outer vane is arranged approximately at the mid-length thereof, and it is preferably of such length that in a terminal position one half of this vane forms a second closure or'baflie behind the inner vane and thus forms a. fairing to enclose the approximately triangular space between the back of the inner vane and the adjacent end wall of the outlet opening in each of the terminal positions of the inner vane. The other half of saidouter vane forms, in a terminal position, a continuation of the inner vane and each half is preferably curved concave inwardly so as to merge smoothly into curvature of the inner vane when both vanes are in the same terminal position.

The inner vane may be provided with control means for governing the position thereof. The outer vane may be freely and automatically movable under the influence of the inner vane. Thus if, the inner vane is moved'from one terminal position to another the change in the direction of flow of the delivery water will automatically cause movement of the outer vane to the corresponding terminal position.

Means may, however, be provided for positively adjusting the position of the outer vane whereby to control the effective cross-sectional area of the outlet end of the discharge Passage formed on the one hand by the inner vane and one part of the outer vane arranged in series and on the other hand by the opposing wall of the outlet opening itself. 7

Preferably the outer vane is formed of two inwardly concave sections arranged in series, the

concavity taking place in the longitudinal direction and the pivot being arranged approximately at the junction of the two concave sections.

On the back of these two sections may be ar-- charge passage for the delivery water according to the terminal position of the vanes. Where the discharge opening is symmetrical in shape taken about a transverse vertical plane at the mid-length of the outlet opening then the pivots of th two vanes should be arranged one abov the other in said plane.

The said outlet opening may, of course, be arranged at the stern of a vessel or at any suitable position in the length of the vessel. When arranged at the stem, the pivots of the vanes, and especially of the outer vane, should preferably be located somewhat forward of the centre of the vanes and the vanes in such case would be asymmetrical.

When the propelling unit consists of a volute pump discharging directly through an outlet opening in the shell. of the vessel, the said inner vane may be so arranged and so shaped that in one of its terminal positions, preferably the ahead position, it merges smoothly into the contour of, the pump casing so as to form an approximately natural continuation thereof.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrammatic representations of the alternative forms of construction. 7

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of the form of the invention shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, Figure 4 being a section taken substantially along the line 64 of Figure 5 and Figure 5 being a section taken substantially along the line vane plate l4 and side walls or lugs l5 is'pivotedl about an axis I6 to enabl it to be moved from the position shown in full lines into the position shown in dotted lines, to change the direction of flow of the delivery water from the pump Ill and thus to change the direction of movement of th vessel. An outer vane I1 is pivoted about an axis 18 which approximately coincides with the seaward end of the vane 13 in either of its terminal positions. This coincidence only applies of coursein the case of a symmetrical arrangement of th outlet opening II and of the vanes l3, H. The pivot ill of course could be either higher or lower but if higher it would be necessary to employ such pivots which do not extend across the opening ll.

The vane l1 consists of inwardly concave vane elements It, 20 on opposite sides of the pivot l3 and of an enclosing plate or fairing 2|. be seen that in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 the right-hand part of the vane I1 serves as a fairing to enclose the space 22 behind the vane I3.

The arrangement shown in Figure 2 is similar to that shown in Figure 1 except that the pump is not connected directly to the outlet opening I i, but an approximately vertical flange 23 is provided for connection to a pump or to a pipe leading to a pump.

Similarly in Figure 3 a horizontal flange 24 is provided for th pump connection.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a particular construction similar to that shown diagrammatically in Figure 2. The arrangement of the vane I3 is similar to that shown in my specification 27,878/37 to which reference may be had for a more particular description thereof. 'It is sufflclent to indicate that in the construction shown the position of the vane I3 is controlled by a lever 26 connected to a pivot shaft or trunnion 21. The outer vane I1 is shown as controlled by two rods 28, 29 which a'but against the vane. but naturally any other suitable means may be employed for controlling the vane 'l 1.

Figure 6 illustrates the application of the invention to a jet-propelled vessel where the discharge is at the stem. The directional control van is indicated at I3 and the outer vane at H, the pump connection being indicated by the flange 30. When the vessel is to move in the ahead direction the discharge takes place through the passag 3| which may be reduced in cross sectional area. towards its discharge end to increase the velocity of discharge by angular displacement of the vane I1 in a clockwise direction. When the vessel is to move astern discharge'takes place through the passage 32, the directional control vane I3 being moved into the position shown in dotted lines.

Figure 7 illustrates an outer vane 35 constructed substantially in the form of an aerofoil and with end elements 36 constructed as aerofoil sections and pivoted to the vane 35. The aerofoil sections 36 may be allowed to move freely under the action of the delivery water, but if desired suitable means may be provided for controlling the positions of the end elements 36.

The arrangements described with reference to the drawings are all suitable for afiording both ahead and astern movement, but if desired to provide an installation suitable for ahead movement only, then the directional control vane may be eliminated and a vane somewhat as shown in Figure 8 may be employed for controlling the cross sectional area of the discharge passage. The vane 31 shown 11 Figure 8 has in cross section approximately the form of an aerofoil and has an end element 38 in the form of an aerofoil section pivoted thereto. The vane 31 is pivoted at one end 39.

I declare that what I claim is:

1. A water-craft having means to impel a stream of fluid, an outlet'conduit for said fluid leading through a side wall of the water-craft, a vane forming a continuation of one side wall of said conduit, a pivot for said vane, means to displace the said vane about said pivot to vary the cross-sectional area of the outlet of said conduit, and a second vane in series with said first vane serving as a fairing therefor.

2. A water-craft having means to impel a stream of fluid, an outlet conduit for said fluid It will leading through a side wall oi the water-craft, a vane forming a continuation of one side wall of said conduit, a pivot for said vane, means to displace the said vane about said pivot to vary the cross-sectional area of the outlet of said con duit, a second vane of greater longitudinal length than said first vane, and a pivot for said second vane disposed on an axis transversely of the water-craft and substantially coincident with the outer end of the first vane when this is in a terminal position.

3. A water-craft having means to impel a stream, of fluid, an outlet conduit for said fluid leading through a side wall of the water-craft, a vane forming a continuation of one side wall oi said conduit, =a pivot for said vane, means to displace the said vane about said pivot to vary the cross-sectional area of the outlet of said conduit, a second vane of greater longitudinal.

length than said first vane, a pivot for said second vane disposed on an axis transversely of the water-craft and substantially coincident with the outer end of the first vane when this is in a terminal position, and means to differentially control inclination of said vanes to one another and to the outlet end of said conduit.

4. A water-craft having means to impel a stream of fluid. an outlet conduit for said fluid terminating in substantially oppositely directed paths from the side of said water-craft, a directional control vane pivoted about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the vessel approximately at the mid length of said outlet conduit for closing either ,of said paths at a time and leaving the other open, and a vane for controlling speed of discharge of said fluid from said outlet by varying the cross sectional area of either path when open, said vane being of greater longitudinal length than the directional control vane and being pivoted about an axis which extends transversely of the vessel and is approximately coincident with the outer periphery of the directional control vane and the seaward end of said directional control vane when the latter is in a terminal position.

5. A water-craft having means to impel a stream of fluid, an outlet conduit for said fluid terminating in substantially oppositely directed paths from the, side of said water-craft, pivotal vanevmeans common to both paths for closing either of said paths at a time and leaving the other open and additional pivotal vane means also common to both paths for varying the cross sectional area of either path when open'to vary the speed of projection of the fluid from the exit end of the open path at the side of said water-craft.

' JAMES WALLIS GOODYEAR. 

